US Lawmaker Asks Tanzania to Cancel Reflagging Iranian Vessels

A top U.S. lawmaker called for Tanzania’s president to cancel the country’s re-flagging of Iranian vessels under the country’s own flag.

In a letter sent to Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, Rep. Howard Berman (D., Calif.) said Tanzania has allowed the National Iranian Tanker Co. to re-flag at least six, and as many as 10, of its vessels with the Tanzanian ship registry, allowing it to continue to transport Iranian crude exports, effectively assisting Iran with evading U.S. and European Union sanctions.

“It is profoundly disappointing to me to learn that your government has acted in contravention of the broad international coalition that is working together to use peaceful means, including economic sanctions, to change the threatening behavior of the Iranian regime. The decision to accept the re-flagging of NITC vessels casts a shadow over Tanzania’s international reputation,” Berman wrote in the letter.

Berman said in the letter that the re-flagging is, in his view, conduct that could make Tanzania subject to U.S. sanctions under an executive order signed May 1 by President Barack Obama that targets those who help Iran or Syria evade sanctions.

He also said if Tanzania continues to allow NITC ships to operate under a Tanzanian flag, Congress “would have no choice” but to consider the range of U.S. bilateral programs with Tanzania.

A representative from the Tanzanian mission to the United Nations didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. More coverage of the letter is available here. Read the letter here (pdf).

Add a Comment

About Corruption Currents

Corruption Currents, The Wall Street Journal’s corruption blog, digs into the ever-present and ever-changing world of corporate corruption. It is a source of news, analysis and commentary for those who earn a living by finding corruption or by avoiding it. Corruption Currents is written by Christopher. M. Matthews and Sam Rubenfeld and edited by Nick Elliott.

Some posts in Corruption Currents are free but others, denoted by a key symbol, require a subscription.